[HWANG Frost is the maknae1, isn’t he?]
Yool couldn’t look Hwang Frost in the eye because his presence was too much for a Civilian like him, but the X-Class Hunter occupied his mind.
To be precise, he was racking his brain for information.
But there wasn’t much he could rember about Hwang Frost.
[Up to the latest volu that I have read, Hwang Frost was only ntioned as the FIRST mber of the Big 4 who had fallen and beco an X-Class Hunter.]
Keyword: ’the first.’
Yool didn’t get to finish the novel, and the last conflict that he rembered was when Ahn Kisoo lost his abilities as a Guide.
And then Graham went on a rampage.
As a result, many important people died.
[Including Shin Geon, the director of the National Guide Center.]
Oh, Shin Geon was also Yeon Soobin’s husband.
[The novel hinted that Yeon Soobin might go astray and beco a villain after Wony’s downfall. If Shin Geon– his husband– died then it’s highly possible that Yeon Soobin did, indeed, beco a villain.]
But what happened to Graham after his rampage?
Did they catch the psycho villain who went around targeting high-class Guides?
And did Ahn Kisoo retrieve his abilities? If that was the case, then how?
[I’m going crazy. Why did I have to be transported here before reading the next volu? I don’t even know what happened to Wony after she beca slightly evil because of her breakup with Lee Seodam.]
"Gong Yool, here’s your phone."
Yool answered politely and received his phone with both hands. "Yes, sir."
"You can speak casually to ," Hwang Frost said. "We’re the sa age."
"How can I possibly talk casually to a mber of the Big 4?"
"You curse Song Moonho just fine."
"..."
Hwang Frost chuckled while shaking his head. "You don’t have to say anything– I get it. It’s hard to respect that old man."
Although Song Moonho was portrayed as a big villain in the novel, Yool rembered that Song Moonho wasn’t antagonistic towards his fellow Big 4 mbers.
But Song Moonho chose to protect Song Sunho, his younger brother.
Graham couldn’t handle Song Moonho alone in the novel.
But, in Yool’s reality, it could be different.
[Because Hwang Frost entered the picture.]
"Hwang Frost-ssi, are you stronger than Song Moonho?"
"Is that really what you want to ask?"
Oho?
[Hwang Frost is more perceptive than I give him credit for.]
Yool fell silent for a mont, and then he decided to be just honest. "Can Hwang Frost-ssi win against Song Moonho in a serious fight?"
"What do you think?"
"Well, you’re supposed to be the strongest Hunter in Korea..."
Even in the novel, Hwang Frost was referred to as the strongest Hunter in Korea. It was ntioned several tis that Yool rembered his na even though he didn’t appear in the novel.
"If you only look at our skills, then I’m stronger than Song Moonho," Hwang Frost said in a serious tone. "In fact, if you compare my skills to all the Hunters in Korea, then I’d rank first."
Hwang Frost didn’t sound arrogant despite his words– he sounded so casual about it, as if he was saying sothing that should be basic knowledge.
And Yool couldn’t refute.
[I an, he’s the country’s strongest Hunter for a reason. Even the other mbers of Big 4 couldn’t solo raid an S-Grade Crack like Hwang Frost did in the past.]
"But if I were to fight Song Moonho in a serious fight, then I can’t tell you with confidence that I’d win," Hwang Frost said, shrugging. "Song Moonho is smarter than , after all. To be precise, he’s cunning. That’s probably his advantage as an old man."
Hmm?
"Why do you look shocked?" Hwang Frost asked curiously. "You can’t underestimate an old man’s wisdom."
"No, I’m not shocked about that part. I already know that Song Moonho is smart and cunning. He wouldn’t have succeeded in evading all the cris he had committed in the past if he wasn’t," Yool said. "I’m surprised that you admitted that you’re not confident you could win against Song Moonho in a serious fight, Hwang Frost-ssi. You’re arrogant, after all."
"Gong Yool, you can’t look in the eye but you can insult without blinking, huh?"
That was true.
Yool was running his mouth even though he couldn’t look Hwang Frost in the eye.
He even sat on the sofa even though the X-Class Hunter was standing. It wasn’t like he was being rude. He just thought it would be safer to sit since his knees would have collapsed in front of Hwang Frost anyway.
[That’s how scary his presence is.]
"There was a ti when I thought I could take over the world because I was the strongest," Hwang Frost said in a serious tone. "But my arrogance caused my downfall. So, I’m determined not to make the sa mistake."
Ah, so Hwang Frost learned humility the hardest way, huh?
"But there’s no way I’d admit the possibility of losing to Song Moonho in front of that old man’s face," Hwang Frost said, scoffing. "You better not blab, Gong Yool."
Yool scoffed. "I have no reason to blaber. And I’m not that close to Song Moonho."
"Good," Hwang Frost said. "Anyway, is Do Ahyeon here yet?"
He nodded politely. "Ahyeonnie is just parking the car. He’ll be here in a few minutes."
"Gotcha. I’ll leave once Do Ahyeon is here. That baby herbivore has Soobin Hyung and Semi Noona’s contact numbers, right?"
"If you an Ahyeonnie by ’baby herbivore,’ then yes– he even has the forr South Korean President’s private contact number."
"Very well. Remind later to ask the baby herbivore to contact Wonhee’s overprotective siblings. I need those two to send soone to protect Wony with Do Ahyeon while I’m away."
"You’re seriously going to where Song Moonho is?"
"Yeah."
"Really?"
"Song Moonho has done so many questionable things in the past, but he always takes dungeon-related problems seriously," Hwang Frost said. "But if he was trying to deceive this ti, then maybe you’d find out whether I’d win or not in a serious fight against Song Moonho, Gong Yool."
Haaah.
[The pride of the Big 4 is really as big as their reputation.]
"Don’t worry– we won’t let anything bad happen to Wony," Yool promised Hwang Frost. "She’s the only one who can put a leash on you, after all."
***
"I’M OFTEN told I’m the dumbest mber of the Big 4, so can you explain it to again as if you’re talking to a fifth grader before I sign in the Guestbook?"
Hmm?
Wonhee was surprised.
She thought Tannie’s explanation about the and the Guestbook was clear enough, so she was a bit baffled.
[Is it because he’s not feeling well?]
Moreover, Graham looked so innocent while sitting on the bed and looking up at Wonhee...
... as if his head was really empty.
And Wonhee ant that in the most affectionate way possible.
[I an, Hunter Graham radiates golden retriever energy...]
"Really?" Tannie asked Graham in disbelief. "That Hwang Yejun is smarter than you? He looks as dumb as you, though."
Ahem.
Wonhee thought Tannie was being rude, but fortunately, Graham didn’t look offended.
In fact, the Hunter even bead.
"Oh, our maknae is smart," Graham said cheerfully. "Before the Outbreak, he was the top high school student in the entire country. Then, when our country stabilized, he took a quick break to get his college diploma. Since he’s super smart, and the governnt gave an exception to him as a part of his Big 4 privilege, he finished a supposedly four-year degree in just a year."
Oh, right.
Wonhee was also attending university when the news broke out.
Yejun enrolled at the sa university as she did, but they didn’t get to et since Yejun’s schedule was tailored to fit his schedule.
[I vaguely rember being envious of Yejun since he finished his degree in just a year.]
"Our maknae is also a good strategist," Graham said proudly. "He’s not as great as Song Moonho because Song Moonho plays dirty, but they work well together even though they always clash. Anyway, Yejun and that old man could take over the country if they wanted to."
"That sounds ominous," Tannie said, frowning. "Hwang Yejun is the devil’s spawn while Song Moonho’s soul is as dark as the night, so that’s highly possible."
Graham laughed while clapping his hands. "I know, right?"
Wonhee thought they were already getting farther from the topic, so she was about to change the subject and explain her abilities to Graham in a simple way.
But her Status Window suddenly popped up in front of her.
What?
"Yejun entered an S-Grade Crack with Song Moonho-ssi?" Wonhee asked in disbelief. "But why?"
***
RAIN.
It was pouring hard when Yejun entered the S-Grade Crack with Song Moonho.
As if that wasn’t enough, the dry river and the dead mountain in front of them were also making things look gloomier than it was. It also didn’t help that it was nightti there.
"You lied to ," Yejun accused Song Moonho while extending his hand to catch the raindrops on his palm. Of course, his entire body was already protected by a skin-like barrier that he got from drinking a potion earlier. "How is this dungeon a bad match for you when you have the lightning attribute?"
"Ah, I only said that because I have no intention of using my full power here."
What the fuck?
"Don’t look at like that," Song Moonho complained lightly. Then he pointed at his almost reddish eyes. "See? I’m on the verge of going on a rampage. I have to conserve my energy as much as I can. So, go and destroy this dungeon on your own, our dear maknae."
"You old bastard–"
"Had Graham entered this dungeon in his current state, do you think he would have survived?" Song Moonho asked, cutting Yejun off. "That kid is bad with water and ice."
That was true.
But...
"Hey, is this dungeon under Graham’s jurisdiction?" Yejun asked, knitting his eyebrows. "Did you get APA’s approval before you took over this dungeon?"
"Oops, I forgot," Song Moonho said, laughing. "But what can they do? We’re already here."
"You didn’t tell them on purpose."
"Would you?"
"Nah."
"See?" Song Moonho said, smiling while shaking his head. "This is why you’re the best partner-in-cri, our precious maknae."
Haaah.
[Wonhee-ya, I’m sorry, but I broke another law again...]
But, moreover...
[Why do they keep on calling ’maknae’ again just like in the old days?]
The old days when the Big 4 were still a knit-tight group.
***
Please ADD to your LIBRARY to be notified when an update is posted. Thank you! :>
youngest mber
User Comments
0 comments from readers